Meghan Markle adopted ‘graciously regal’ gestures as she ‘took the lead’ at women in leadership event in Abuja, body language expert claims

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s three-day visit of Nigeria has been dubbed a ‘quasi-royal’ tour – and Meghan Markle appeared to adopt ‘regal-like’ gestures when attending an event solo on Saturday.

Meghan, 42, adopted ‘graciously regal’ gestures and ‘took the lead’ at a women in leadership event in Abuja, a body language expert has revealed.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Judi James explained that the mother-of-two’s ‘body language adopted a graciously regal look as she arrived into the function and then onto the stage to speak.’

She added: ‘Her back was straight, her shoulders and arms pulled back and her pace of walk was slow as she threw a beaming smile around the room or touched people she passed to create small moments of gracious connection. 

‘Meghan also uses steering and directional gestures that made it look as though either she was the host or that she led the protocol, gesturing another guest into her seat before waiting for her own chair to be pulled back for her by what looked like one of the guards.’

Meghan Markle has adopted ‘graciously regal’ gestures and ‘took the lead’ at solo event in Nigeria , a body language expert has revealed

Meghan, who appeared ‘cool and elegant’, was warmly welcomed as she took to the stage for her speech, where she ‘performed another regal-looking greeting ritual’.

Judi added: ‘Meghan’s talk came with some emphatic hand rituals that did seem to be used to make her statements look and sound more profound. 

‘Her line ”Never in a million years will I understand as much as I do now” might have been puzzling in terms of comprehension but the way her hand performed a baton gesture with a downward pat to signal emphasis defined how profound she was being.’

‘Her role-model status came with raised brows and a raised hand for similar emphasis although her words were clearer as she told her audience her simpler but inspirational message of ”She looks like me, I can do that”.’

The Duchess was speaking at a Women in Leadership event she was co-hosting with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization. 

During her speech Meghan said she fulfilled her dream of becoming a parent as she opened up about her ‘very chatty, sweet children’ Archie, five and Lilibet, two.

Meghan told the audience how much she loves being a mother but admitted that balancing her family and her career posed its own set of challenges.

‘Meghan also uses steering and directional gestures that made it look as though either she was the host or that she led the protocol’, according to Judi

Meghan ‘created small moments of gracious connections’ as she arrived at a Women in Leadership event on Saturday

Meghan ‘threw a beaming smile around the room or touched people she passed to create small moments of gracious connection’, according to Judi 

The Duchess of Sussex walked alongside Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, right, Director-General of the World Trade Organization

Meghan was speaking at a meeting with Nigerian female industry leaders at an event

Meghan was asked how she juggled being a mother with her career and she replied: ‘I love being a mum.’

Despite being told more than ten years ago by her friend and mentor that she would never be able to balance the demands of motherhood and her work, the 42-year-old duchess said she enjoys being a mother and her priorities are constantly changing.

During the panel discussion, Meghan said that ‘balance’ in her life has changed over the years and looks different to ten years ago before she was married and had Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

She said: ‘What I think that to mean now is that that balance will always change for you. That balance, what seems balanced ten years ago is going to shift.’ according to Hello.

During the Q&A session, Meghan also thanked Nigerians for welcoming her to ‘my country’ and she said she hopes she can ‘do justice’ to being a ‘role model’.

The Duchess of Sussex, who recently discovered she is ’43 per cent Nigerian’, wowed crowds as she and Prince Harry continue their whirlwind ‘royal’ tour to the African nation.

Meghan arrived to the women in leadership summit in a spaghetti strapped red dress without her husband Prince Harry.

She told the audience: ‘I want to start by saying thank you very much for just how gracious you’ve all been in welcoming my husband and I to this country… my country.’

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, pictured with Mo Abudu during the event on Saturday

This is the second day of the Duchess’ tour of Nigeria with her husband Harry

Meghan told the audience: ‘I want to start by saying thank you very much for just how gracious you’ve all been in welcoming my husband and I to this country… my country’

She also added: ‘I am just flattered and honoured and inspired. It has been a whirlwind 24 hours since we arrived, and I very quickly got the memo that I need to wear more colour, so I can fit in with all of you and your incredible fashion.’

When asked how she felt after discovering she was 43% Nigerian through a genealogy test, Meghan said the first thing she did was ‘call my mom, because I wanted to know if she had any awareness of it.’

Meghan went on: ‘Being African-American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage or background, where you come from specifically.

‘And it was exciting for both of us to discover more and understand what that really means. Never in a million years would I have understood it as much as I do now.

‘It’s been really eye-opening and humbling to be able to know more about my heritage and to be able to know this is just the beginning of that discovery.’

Defining Nigerian women as ‘brave, resilient, courageous, powerful, beautiful’, Meghan said: ‘It is the most flattering thing to be in that company, to be in your company.’

She also added: ‘I often find that whatever travels I’ve done, regardless if it’s Nigeria or another country around the world, oftentimes when women reach the peak of success, they leave. 

‘But you need to come back home. You need to at least be a familiar face for the next generation to say: “Oh, she looks like me – and I can be that.”

‘And I think that is a really key piece in all of it… It’s defined by, and you still always want to come back home, because that’s how you’re going to help shift any sort of generational pattern that might be stifling, especially for young girls who need to see someone who looks like them in that same position.’

After being told by a moderator that she had ‘come home’, Meghan replied: ‘I hope that I could do justice to the role model that I think so many young women deserve to have.

‘Obviously in the face of all of you here, I know that they, they see that. But being able to be a small part of that means a lot.’